1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system for controlling operation of a drag racing vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years, drag racing has been very popular among both participants and spectators. Various classes have been developed so that vehicles of similar capability compete with one another, and the skill of the driver remains an important factor in the outcome of every race.
One particularly challenging type of drag race is run in the "Super Classes", which include Super Gas, Super Comp, and Super Street. In each of these classes, the vehicle must qualify by running the quarter mile in less than a predetermined elapsed time. During the actual races, however, the winner must be first to the finish line without going below that same elapsed time. For example, in the Super Gas Class the vehicle must be capable of running the quarter mile in an elapsed time of less than 9.9 seconds, but during the races that same vehicle must not go below 9.9 seconds elapsed time.
The Super Classes, therefore, present a definite challenge to the driver--the time from beginning to end of the race is very short; the race must be won; and yet the overall speed of the vehicle must be limited. It is extremely difficult to obtain consistency in running these races since they are highly dependent on the driver's reaction time.
In the past, several approaches have been used in an attempt to obtain better performance and more consistency in running races in the Super Classes. One approach has been to back off the throttle linkage by the use of mechanical throttle stops. While this will limit the overall speed of the vehicle, it results in a loss of horsepower at the starting line as well as at the end of the track. The loss of horsepower at the beginning of the race prevents the racer from getting a quick start off of the line--which is where most of the races are won or lost.
The second approach has been to limit the opening of the secondary throttle plates of a four barrel carburetor. While this does not limit horsepower at the starting line, it does cause a loss of horsepower as the engine reaches higher RPM just before shifting to high gear.
A third approach uses a hydraulically actuated solenoid that pushes the accelerator pedal up once the vehicle is shifted into high gear. The solenoid is operated based upon line pressure in the automatic transmission. There is a problem with this approach, as well as the first two approaches, in that there is no manual override capability by which the driver can increase RPM and speed as he approaches the finish line. If, because of a slow start, the vehicle was behind in the race and does not run the risk of going below the specified elapsed time, each of these prior art approaches will prevent the driver from increasing speed in order to catch up and win the race.